The pond, in a desperate survivalist strategy, is off to the Melbourne chilly heart of winter darkness ...

Say what?

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:75)

Well that sets the scene for the poodle denying Jolly Joe, as you can read in Christopher Pyne declines six times to back Joe Hockey over impact on poor of fuel tax rise (forced video at end of link)

Six times! Maybe poodles have more staying power than cockerels.

And in case you think it's just a case of Fairfaxian sour grapes, it also made it into News.com.au, with the header Christopher Pyne not coming to Joe Hockey's aid over petrol excise disaster:

A senior minister on national television today couldn’t bring himself to support Treasurer Joe Hockey’s controversial contentions on petrol taxes and the poor. 
Education Minister Christopher Pyne said Mr Hockey had been standing up for low income earners. But Mr Pyne declined six times to directly answer when asked if he backed the Treasurer’s claim fuel excise increases were “progressive” because the poor don’t own cars or don’t drive much. 
It was seen as confirmation the Government has been deeply embarrassed by the Treasurer’s remarks with some back benchers making their concerns public. Mr Pyne said he was “not going to cop criticism of Joe” but pulled up well short of agreeing with him.

Oh sic transit Joe. And if you want to see a clip, why the ABC has it here in Christopher Pyne delinces to back Joe Hock's 'poor people don't drive' comments.

And then the returning rooster himself found his voice:

Mr Abbott flew back to Australia from Europe and the Gulf and into the fuel excise controversy. 
Asked if he supported those remarks by Mr Hockey on Wednesday the Prime Minister said: “Well plainly I wouldn’t say that.”

Plainly.

And now the foxes are circling the hen house.

Time for Tony Abbott to reshuffle the ministerial deck.

And so far the poll is running 87% in favour of moving around the deck chairs on the good ship Titanic. It's early days yet, maybe it can be pumped up to 99%!

Hockey is lamenting the fact that he is no longer popular. Abbott could kill two birds with one stone by giving Turnbull Treasury and leaving him to explain how cutting expenditure is good for the people. Hockey would of course be entitled to another senior position. Defence, with its near invisible minister, might suit him

Oh no, not Jolly Joe, and Dave, and Eric Abetz and his proven genetic link to total stupidity, and George "the metadata man" Brandis ... because let's face it, if Brandis gets the chop for being a mega metadata chump, where does that leave Abbott?

Could it get any worse, this chaos and confusion?

Well the pond is glad you asked that, because yes it could.

Consider this.

Maurice Newman has just announced the latest terribly advanced and mega scientific climate science news, which is that the world is likely enough heading for a gigantic cold snap, of such astonishing ferocity and power that the entire civilised world could be brought it its frosty, chill-bitten knees.

Now what steps have the Abbott government announced to prepare for this monstrous disaster? What planning has been implemented?

Has his chief business adviser been delegated a substantial budget and a brand new department to prepare for this apocalyptic, catastrophic, four horsemen style crisis?

Surely the government isn't questioning the climate science skills of its chief business adviser?

Look, there it is, as Eric Lobbecke's illustration showed - the world like an ice storm on steroids:

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Now we can't blame the reptiles in Murdoch la la land. They've done their very Paul Revere best.

The reptiles have employed the world's second most expert climate scientist to bring us this dire warning.

And now Tony Abbott has flown back, after showing his skills as a statesman on the world stage.

Does he look worried?

Uh huh.

Well the pond has devised a desperate strategy. We've decided to head off into the hearty of chilly darkness for some coldness training.

If the pond can survive Melbourne in mid-winter, we just might be able to survive the mega cold snap that threatens the entire world ...

We will,  pending flying apartment block landing safely, and frozen hands in frozen mittens thawing enough to allow fingers to pound the keyboard, resume business early in the week ...

Stay brave. Stick in the mud stay at homes can stick their paws in the freezer, and we can survive if we just stick together and support each other ...

Look, see how the rooster's team are mutually supportive. Talk about an inspiration ...